


Acolyte?

by vsnow



Series: Gellert & Vinda Friendship/Backstory [4]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Death, F/F, Fluff, Friendship, Homophobia, How Vinda learned about Grindelwald, M/M, Panic, Purebloods (Harry Potter), Romance, Slight drinking, Turns dark in second chapter, What XD Me? fluff?, no, school days
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-11
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-09 11:43:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20994254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vsnow/pseuds/vsnow
Summary: How Vinda learned of Grindelwald and came to join him.





	1. Saved

**A/N**:_ I have some days off! And instead of completing stories that need to be finished, I am writing a new story. #Writerlife_

_The second chapter will be longer :P_

_Also, if you are reading 'Bargains Over Tea' this does not relate. I just like this OC Divya and used her again here :D_

_Born because I am interested in how Vinda and Grindelwald met. If you are interested in another interpretation I have a fic called purely "Acolyte". It is in the "Bargains Over Tea" Universe. _

* * *

“Miss. Rosier”

Vinda was harshly drawn to reality when the professor's voice called out to her. It took a few moments for her to realize just where she was… perhaps even who she was.

These last few weeks had been-

The professor, who had been meeting her hollow eyes over the last few minutes, finally decided to quiz the class, “Over the last chapter we have covered a host of potions. Would you please tell me the formulation and result of one of these potions?”

_Oh right. _They had been having an overview of material.

And though ‘pride’ was Vinda’s second name, she would not lie, “I cannot even begin to tell you. There are so many that they overlap in my mind.”

The professor was silent.

And though she indeed felt the sting of disappointment from him, at this point in her life… did it matter?

She had read much-

And knew she would survive… somehow-

Instead of reading the material she had been studying her options.

What to do once this last month of schooling was complete?

“Oh?” The professor smiled, as though he knew. Vinda was sure he knew what he was thinking.

_Oh? You think your name will save you? Is that really all you are? Well… of course it’s not. You will take the name of whatever pure family you marry into. No wonder you’re parents have no hopes in you. Rumor has it that you have already secured a match. You will be their problem in the end._

Or something like that…

“Noth-“ The wise man began.

But he was cut off, a voice of salvation, “With all due respect professor, she is correct. All the spells in this chapter overlap.”

“Explain.” Those questioning eyes turned to this new voice a front. 

Pink lips, lips that must surely be tinted by use of crushed roses. What else could create such a delicate and soft color?

The girl spoke well, and by her confidence Vinda was sure she must have read the material time and time again.

“I can’t sir.” She laughed a strangely infectious laugh.

And it was highly infectious, catching their instructor’s voice in a chuckle. Enough was this girl’s power that it drew his attention away from Vinda and onto her. “Really?”

“Well-“ And she unleashed her true power, all she knew potion to potion.

Vinda found her own daydreams scattered, fully interested now in the lesson this student gave.

The Professor nodded along as she spoke, “Well done, Divya.” He carried on in his review.

Most in the class sighed, rolled their eyes, or simply ignored. Divya had been placed in their class this last year, a transfer student from another wizarding school.

Vinda had not taken note-

Though it seemed as though the rest of the class had. Divya was brilliant in potions and had always been so. She seemed, to most, to show off constantly.

Yet as Divya turn to Vinda there was not a drop of smugness in her expression. She instead smiled as though holding a secret. 

It was in that moment Vinda knew she had been saved.


	2. Grounded

Once class was finished Vinda left the room promptly, leaving little time for the professor to scold her for her daydreaming.

Students flooded into the open halls, their voices sounded refreshed even as the day was coming to an end. It was another week’s end, another step closer to graduation, another step closer to all life would bring.

Students ran from here to there, meeting each other with smiles upon their face regardless of what they had planned for the evening.

Studies?

Going into town?

Gossip and chatter the night away?

Plan elaborate pranks for years end?

For once Vinda would also be preparing to leave the grounds, taking part in an evening of socializing. Though, unlike most of the students who made their plans, hers were with Mrs. Rowle.

Her soon to be mother-in-law.

And what an unpleasant woman.

Really, it was exhausting-

Vinda made herself presentable, more so than her usual stylish wears. Reminding herself of the strict manners, those that still influenced her even when alone.

She was sure that one of these days she would go mad, split in two entirely.

~*~

Mrs. Rowle was already waiting at the cafe, “You are late.”

“My apologies. After class I had to prepa-“ 

But the woman would not hear it, “You should have already been ready. We set this date months ago.” The woman seemed to age more as her face twisted with displeasure, “As a wife I hope you will be more timely.”

And what luck, upon this meeting,… the crone was in a good mood.

Vinda smiled nonetheless, inhaling deeply the smell of the other’s overbearing perfume, “Of course.” The only thing she could do to save herself from raising a wand to this woman.

It had not always been this way.

When Mrs. Rowle had first met her soon to be daughter-in-law she had been enchanted. That was quickly dispersed. Now surface formality was all that remained.

It was a shame really. If Vinda was to be in a loveless marriage, the least she could ask for is to not have a more overbearing and critical mother than her own, someone always looking over her shoulder.

“Has a server yet come to take your order?” Vinda asked as she sat.

“No. Where is the waitstaff?” Mrs. Rowle was immediately distracted, growing frustrated at this newly perceived attack toward her, “I had heard this town mainly caters to students of Beauxbaton. That is no excuse for poor service.”

Vinda could barely stop her eyes from rolling, “I will find someone for us, Mother.” She spoke with a newfound kindness, a kindness fueled by the promise of being able to excuse herself from the table so soon.

Entering the building Vinda nearly collided into-

“Divya.-

The other witch nearly dropped her tray.

-What are you doing here.”

“Working.” With a hand of support Divya steadied herself, looking over the array of desserts to be sure they were intact.

“Why?” Vinda asked, feeling unsettlingly still off balance herself.

Divya finally looked to her, confusion lining her expression, “What else? Money. After all, though it may be for some, this is not quite my desired profession.”

Feeling quite the fool, Vinda nodded, trying her hardest to save face with a knowledgeable tone, “Of course.”

In actuality she could only understand in theory. _Need?_ Vinda had never wanted for anything in her life.

She had no right to want…

It was rare she interacted with others from her class outside of joint assignments. And it was interactions like this that made her feel all the more separate from her schoolmates.

“And you, I never see you out” Divya noted, looking past to nod at a woman who was glaring at her impatiently, “Your mother?”

“My Fiancé’s mother.”

“Congratulations.” Divya replied unenthusiastically.

Surely it was because she had heard the rumors already.

Vinda could say nothing.

“I will be with you both shortly.” Divya began to walk past, but paused, whispering, “Would you like me to put something in her drink when I bring it?”

So caught off by this, Vinda found her dislike slip out. She sighed at the delightfully satisfying image of the crone choking down some potion, perhaps one to make snails fall from her nose, or even-

But it could not be.

Vinda let out a groan as she warned, “No. She is** ruthless**.” The label completely ignoring whatever ruthless act Divya was willing to do, “She will find who was responsible and you will be the one punish then.”

Divya turned her face away, quietly walking to a table of students to deliver their treats.

~*~

Vinda had long since drowned out Mrs. Rowle’s voice as the older woman huffed and complained about this and that. The drink was never hot to her liking, nor was the dessert sweet enough. Nothing was good enough.

Suddenly a gasp brought Vinda back to reality. It took a moment for the younger woman to identify what it was that had caused such a dramatic reaction. Following the older woman’s eyes Vinda found a couple at the end of that gaze.

They looked to be newlywed the way they looked to each other, how they spoke to each other. The pair’s hands were interlocked so gently, yet Vinda was sure if the floor were to open beneath the two men those hands would still never part.

“You always know who has no upbringing. How else could you explain such a thing?”

Vinda was pulled back from the sight.

“If it was me I would never-“

_But it is in fact **not** about **you**._

Vinda held back her words, instead choosing to lock them inside. It was nothing all that new. Yet this time Vinda found that the feeling of guilt and cowardice, the feeling of anger and fear, they did not wish to be locked away.

Mrs. Rowle continued to speak on the couple. Loud enough, as though they weren’t even there, as though they could not hear. But Vinda saw that they did hear, as they pulled away slightly.

And suddenly Vinda felt the floor open up below her. And unlike the men who still held firmly to each other, she realized she had no one to hold on to as she fell.

No family to speak of who would truly care-

No friends to understand-

No one.

Her heart raced as she reached out for anything to steady her, a wine glass the only thing she found to steady her now shaking hand as Mrs. Rowle continued.

Vinda bargained with that last ounce of control to settle her heart. Her mind was most uncooperative, finally filled to the brim with years of locked thoughts and emotions undealt with. Every second drew her closer and closer to the edge of something. She did not want to look over to find what that something was… and so her body told her to run. “Excuse me.” Vinda could barely hear herself say as she put down the glass, briskly heading out into the street.

_“Vinda?”_

Had Mrs. Rowle called out to her? Would her family be angry with her for leaving the matriarch of this other pureblood family in this way? Would-

It no longer mattered, and all consequence felt insignificant when compared to all she felt.

“Where are you going?”

Vinda stopped running.

When had she broken out into a full run? 

Halted completely by a saving voice. A voice she remembered from recent. Not 3 hours ago that voice had been a beacon of light, saving her from embarrassment in a classroom. And now in the darkening night-

“I could not stay any longer.” Vinda spoke, realizing the words must hold no significance to the other.

Divya let smoke fall from her lips as she walked toward the now frozen figure.

Vinda felt a grounding hand place itself upon her arm. 

“Would you like to walk for a moment before returning inside?”

_Of course. It was best she return…_

Vinda swallowed, the smell of tobacco entering her nose, leaving a rich taste much like coffee upon her senses, “Are you not working? Don’t you need money.”

Divya smiled wide, letting out a giggle, tickled by the other’s small words of care, “I have saved enough.”

Vinda nodded once.

“Come then.”

And under the moon’s warm hue the two walked through the small town, shops lined both sides of the street, sweets and more.

“I’m surprised you would agree to walk with me.” Divya finally confessed, “I was hoping we would have the chance all this year.”

“Why only now have you asked?”

“By the next time the moon is like this our class will be parted our separate ways.”

So cryptically she spoke, as though she knew-

But of course she did. The moon’s phases are no secret.

“It is good that your mother-in-law wishes for a relationship with you.” Divya spoke forwardly, pausing to gage the reaction. When there was none, she continued, “I hear the other girls who will soon be married talk about how important that is.”

“She is a selfish crone who has never cared for anyone but herself, not even her children.” Vinda blurted out, not fearing anything in this moment, not death and certainly not gossip, “Though she boasts to, at what feels like, every chance she gets. I feel bad for him really. Not to mention I doubt this is a marriage he even wishes for.”

“And you?”

The words caught Vinda off guard.

“Your family has taken your feelings into account in this marriage then?”

“What do you mean?” Vinda asked.

The serious tone seemed to push Divya away slightly, “I-”

“No.” Vinda replied quickly, hating that rift as soon as it appeared, “But it is to be expected.”

Divya shook her head, “Should it be?”

_Should it?_

So many words had been impressed upon Vinda when she was young, they were embossed upon her identity in what felt like an unchangeable way. This was engraved to the degree that she never questioned when her parents matched her with that woman’s son.

She had never been herself-

_Think more of your family name. _

_What will people think of us?_

Always ‘us’-

It had been so comforting in the past, to never be alone. But now…

“Have you heard of a man by the name of Gellert Grindelwald? His ideas are extremely interesting.” Divya spoke casually.

And Vinda had heard the name in passing, and only a general knowledge persisted, “The one so taken with destroying the statute of secrecy?” She had been so distracted with her future that she had become ignorant, blind to the happenings of the world.

“Not just that.” Divya tested, “He also advocates for love.”

“Love.”

Divya nodded as Vinda repeated that word. Vinda did not even have to question why such a thing needed advocating.

And perhaps that was why Divya continued, “I am looking to join him. We had the most interesting talk upon our meeting at a small rally the year before I came to transfer to this school.”

Vinda looked to her, to the one illuminated by streetlamp lights, the one so encircled by an aura of golden hue.

“Ah. But it does not matter at all too you.” Divya smiled to herself, sending Vinda a glance from the side of her eyes, “Soon you will be returning to that café to apologize to your mother to be.” Those eyes held so much knowledge of what was to be… and somehow she seemed to know that it would not be that, “I had just wanted the chance to speak with you, to let you know where I will be.”

~*~

And that too is where Vinda would be.

Not 5 years later she would be standing alongside Gellert Grindelwald as his most trusted. And a cruel twist of fate that the very one to bring Vinda to this man was not allowed by fate to still stand beside her.

It had been a tragedy, one maybe Grindelwald himself had foreseen. How cruel muggles were to those who are different, taking a young woman and placing her into the earth.

But Vinda, she knew exactly where she should be. And when the world finally opened up underneath her, she knew she would have a hand to hold on to.


End file.
